Books, Books, Books

#SolitaireBlogTour #Review of Solitaire by Jane Thynne @janethynne

I’m thrilled to be taking part in #SolitaireBlogTour and acting as a host today with my review.

About The Book

June 1940: Nightly blackouts suffocate Berlin. Then France falls and a shadow descends across Western Europe now under German occupation.

A shadow has fallen over Clara Vine’s own life, too. She is an Anglo-German woman in a country that hates Britain. Virulent anti-British propaganda is everywhere.

Then she is summoned to meet the Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels who has decided that Clara should adopt a new role – as his spy — and that she must go to Paris on a mission.

Much as she dislikes the idea, Clara realises this might be the chance to find an escape route to Britain. But Goebbels has other ideas and soon Clara is drawn into a web that threatens to destroy her. As everything she holds dear is taken as ransom, she must fightto protect her family – and to survive…

My Review

I only discovered this wonderful series a couple of months ago, through another blogger, and it’s become a real favourite in that short space of time. I do like to read books set in this era and have found this series particularly fascinating. I loved all the wonderful descriptions of Berlin, the people and the places, and I felt as though I’d been transported back to 1930s Germany. I’ve learnt so much about the rise of the Nazi party and in particular the lives of the top men and their families.

In Solitaire, Clara has to visit Paris and Lisbon. I love the way both cities are described, making me feel as though I had visited along with Clara, experiencing everything she did.

Once again, as in the previous books, there are lots of twists and turns, full of tense situations for Clara. I particularly enjoyed the evocative descriptions of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and the brief appearance of Ian Fleming.

If, like me, you enjoy historical fiction that has been wonderfully researched, you’ll definitely enjoy this series. I’ve already started recommending them to anyone and everyone and can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Thank you so much to Jane Thynne for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review, and to Sian Devine for the invitation to join in this tour.

About The Author

I was born in Venezuela and grew up with my parents and two brothers in London. After school in Hampton, I spent a year working at the Old Vic Theatre before reading English at St Anne’s College, Oxford.

I then joined the BBC as a production trainee, but after a few years succumbed to a hankering for Fleet Street and moved to The Sunday Times. I spent many cheerful years at The Daily Telegraph as media correspondent, but my single most exciting moment in that time was getting a publishing contract for my first novel.

In particular I have a passion for historical fiction and love the research that involves. The first in the Clara Vine series, Black Roses, became a number One Kindle Bestseller. In the UK the series is published by Simon & Schuster. Outside Britain, my novels have been translated into French, German, Greek, Turkish and Italian. In France the series is published by J.C Lattes and in Greece by Kedros. In the US and Canada the series is published by Random House.

As well as writing books I now freelance as a journalist, writing regularly for numerous British magazines and newspapers, and also appear as a broadcaster on Radio 4. I have been a guest reader at the Arvon Foundation and have sat on the broadcasting committee of the Society of Authors. I have three children and live in London.

I also have an active Facebook page where I love to interact with readers. Do please follow me on GOODREADS and add the Clara Vine novels to your ‘Want To Read’ list. Get in touch. It’s great to talk!